Dragons help Chinese celebrate the New Year
�Press Eye Ltd Northern Ireland - 23rd January 2012 Mandatory Credit - Photo-Jonathan Porter/Presseye. Chinese New Year celebrations at the Europa Hotel in Belfast City Centre. Left to right. Jiemin Tomita, Tony Byrne, Eileen Chan-hu and Selina Lee MBE.
ULSTER’S longest established ethnic minority community had reason to celebrate yesterday as they welcomed in the Chinese New Year.
Joining billions of their compatriots around the world, members of the local Chinese population heralded the Year of the Dragon as they toasted another 12 months.
Marking the traditional start of 15 days of celebration, a special dinner was held at Belfast’s Europa Hotel last night attended by ethnic Chinese from across the Province and other dignitaries.
Next month – in the largest public event in Northern Ireland – hundreds are expected to attend the city’s Ulster Hall and sample the best of local Chinese culture, including cuisine, art and craft workshops and the famous dragon dance.
It is estimated there are currently up to 15,000 people of Chinese origin living in the Province with almost one-third of that population residing in the Belfast area alone.
Eileen Chan-Hu, chief executive of the Chinese Welfare Association, said the Ulster-based Chinese community was looking forward positively as 2012 is associated with the dragon in the Chinese zodiac.
“The dragon is seen as being a powerful animal so it is going to be quite a strong year for those who rise up to the challenges,” she said.
“For any baby born over the next 12 months, these children will have skills of leadership due to [the dragon’s] strength. Children born this year will have a good aura around them and will be well liked.”
While local Chinese people did not avail of a public holiday yesterday, Ms Chan-Hu said they would still have engaged in traditional rituals.
She said: “On New Year’s Eve, all houses will be cleaned before midnight so that all bad things from the year before are banished away. You also have to pay off all your debts.
“On the first day of the New Year people also wear red as it is a lucky colour.”
She said many people would have contacted family and friends in Asia to offer their best wishes.
Ms Chan-Hu also revealed that locals were showing a greater interest in the annual celebrations.
Moving the New Year event from its previous venue of St George’s Market to the Ulster Hall had sparked a large number of inquiries from the public, she said.
“We have been running [the celebrations] for eight to nine years and now people expect it – a complete change from when people didn’t know about it. We are very happy that the Chinese event is now seen to be an event for all.”
Ms Chan-Hu also claimed more people were opting to learn mandarin as a language in Northern Ireland.
Chinese people began arriving in Northern Ireland in the early 1960s in search of work.
Having endured the Troubles, Ms Chan-Hu admits incidents of racism still occur but insists they are very much a “minority”.
She added there is more migration now from China since the hand over of Hong Kong in the late 1990s, and pointed to a “large Chinese population” opting to study at further and higher education facilities in the Province.
l The Chinese New Year celebrations will take place at the Ulster Hall on Saturday, February 4. Doors open at 1pm.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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